Shipbuilding tool



Oct. 3, 1961 H. ToPPlNG 3,002,480

SHIPBUILDING TOOL.

Filed March 17, 1959 HUNTER L. TOPP/NG ted States This invention pertains to tools for assembling structural steel components in the building of welded ships such as tankers, cargo boats, carriers, barges, and comparable structures. j

The principal purpose of this tool is to provide simple and eiicient means for straighteningand plumbing web frames or like cross members over the tops of longitudinals or stiifeners. Y

A lfurther and important inventive object resides in the construction of a novel tool that in performing the functions indicated eliminates completely the necessity of Welding the parts to be assembled, and of temporarily tacking extraneous parts to the work in order to obtain a working purchase for the tool. Y

A related object achieved by -this invention is the avoidance of the time and expense hitherto involved in chipping and grinding olf crude gripping expedients which materially slow down production schedules.,

The foregoing and other significant advantages afforded by this tool will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of the details of its construction and the labor saving functions it performs, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View of a preferred embodiment of the tool in Working relation to parts that required plumbing or straightening alignment;

FIG. 2 is a partially cross-sectional end elevational View of the tool showing the manner in which it engages a flanged longitudinal member;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 3-3 of FIG. l, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view-taken on line 4-4 of FIG. l, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

As shown best in FIG. l a shipbuilding tool, designated generally by reference numeral 10, has a right triangular frame 12 that is preferably of tubular metal construction. This frame 12 includes a cross bar or leg 14 extending horizontally when the tool is used in the examplary manner shown in the drawings. A vertical leg 16 extends upwardly at right angles to the horizontal leg 14, `and is joined at its upper end portion by a hypotenuse leg 18 extending downwardly kfrom and beyond the horizontal connecting or base leg member 14.

An upper web plate 22 of generally triangular outline lits within the apex of frame 12, andv a generally similar triangular -web plate 24 lits within the acute angle dened by intersection of the hypotenuse leg 18 and horizontal leg 14.

Both plate 22 and plate 24 are integrally joined to their respectively engaging adjacent legs by welding or equivalent means.

The upwardly converging frame legs 16 and 18 are surmounted and joined by an internally threaded sleeve or hollow cylinder 26, and secured thereto in right angle relation to the normally upright leg 16 by welding or the like.

In order effectively to utilize a longitudinal 41 rigidly joined to a ship deck D or like structure, and to provide a xed iiange 43 extending in parallel spaced relation to said deck D or similar structure, the respective lower ends of the vertical frame leg 16 and the outwardly slop` ing hypotenuse leg 18 are respectively fitted with rotatable holding plates 44 and 45, each of Which has an openended slot 42 perpendicular to its Vertical axis of rota- 3,002,486 E Satented Oct. 3, 1961 ice tion, and is adapted to receive lengthwise Widely spaced portions of the horizontal iiange 43.

A pressure screw 28 is threadedly, received in the sleeve or tubular member 26 through both ends in order that a pressure cap 30, having a ball and socket connection 32 with the adjacent end of pressure screw 2S, is disposed outwardly beyond the vertical frame leg 16. The opposite end of the screw 28 isV provided with turning means such as a head 34, which is formed with spaced pairs of transverse bores 36, 38 for receiving a turning rod or the like (not shown) in the manner indicated.

Considering now FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 together, it will be observed that the slotted plate 44 is secured and coaxially pivoted on the lower end of the vertical tubular leg 16 by means of a headed stud bolt shaft 46 rotatably supported at its head end by an apertured or bored plate 47.

Referring now to FIGS. l, 2 and 4, it is to be observed that the other slotted plate y45, which also is mounted for pivotal rotation about a vertical axis in the same bearing bore construction as plate 44 on leg 16, that is, at the lower end of leg 18 (of FIGS. 3 and 4), but differs in that it includes also means for accommodating swinging movement about a horizontal axis perpendicular thereto.

ln each instance the bearing plate of leg 16 or leg 18 extends outwardly beyond the periphery of its leg end and is integrally secured thereto by welding or other appropriate means as indicated.

Considering further FIGS.` l and 2, it will be seen tha-t the slotted plate 45 movably mounted on the lower end of leg 18 is carried by a shaft 50 having its ends mounted for rotation in a U-shaped member 52. Through the means ofia depending pair of spaced lugs 54, 54, which are rigidly joined to longitudinally spaced upper portions of plate 45, universal movement of accommodation about two axes intersecting perpendicularly is thus provided. Thus rotation about a ventical axis and rotation about a horizontal axis (50) are concurrently achieved by the slotted plate 45 in rotating about these perpendicularly intersecting axes.

By way of an example demonstrating the remarkable utility of the simple tool 10' embodying the principles of the invention, consideration will be given to the operation illustrated in FIG. l. In this instance the tool is being used as a web frame jack.

As illustrated a flanged longitudinal 41 is secured to deck D and a web frame WF is affixed tothe deck perpendicularly to this longitudinal. The web frame WF is to be aligned with an adjacent frame or plate (not shown) to which it is to be fastened by welding, riveting or other suitable means.

When positioning the tool, slotted plates 44 and 45 are slipped over and positioned on ange 43 of longitudinal 4l and the tool is brought into position so that the selfaligning pressure cap 30 will engage the at face of web frame The pressure screw 28 is then rotated to advance the screw and thereby push the web frame into alignment with the adjacent plate or frame. When the web frame and adjacent member are properly oriented they are fastened together and the tool then removed.

The tool is anchored to ange 43 by the slotted plates 44 and 45 which exert a coupled reactive force opposing that exerted by the pressure screw 28V in pushing the web frame WF into position. In other words, the force exerted by pressure screw 2S is opposed or creates a bending or turning force which causes the slotted plates 44 and 45 to bite into and grip the flange 43 and thus anchor the tool. In addition the slotted plate 45 is pivotally carried on shaft 50 so that the forces acting on the right triangular frame 12 cause the slotted plate 45 to pivot about shaft 50 and bite into the iiange 43 to aiford additional anchoring means. Y

The most eiective utilization of these holding forces is achieved through the pivoting action about the horizontal axis shaft 50 disposing the coacting applied forces in a substantially common plane of action.

In actual use it has been demonstrated that a saving of approximately 80% in labor and material costs together can be achieved by using this web frame jack for the intended purposes.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention and the best known mode of using the same, it will be understood that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the principles thereof and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and .the preferred mode of practicing the same, ywhat I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A tool for plumbing structural components, said tool comprising a right triangular frame member adapted to be positioned with one leg portion upright and another leg extending longitudinally therefrom, a securing plate mounted for axial rotation on the lower end of the upright leg portion of said frame member, another securing plate mounted for axial rotation on the lower end of the hypotenuse leg portion of the right triangular frame member, said securing plates each having an open-ended slot longitudinally extending in co-planar relation with the other for receiving spaced portions of the same ilange, and progressively advanceable pushing means mounted on the apex portion of the right triangular frame member in a direction paralleling the slots of the pivotally mounted securing plates, axes means connected between the lower end of the hypotenuse leg portion and the slotted securing plate pivoted thereon for accommodating movement of said last-mentioned plate about perpendicularly intersecting axes.

2. A structural tool comprising a right triangular framework having an upright leg, a hypotenuse leg, a connecting leg extending transversely between the lower end portions of said upright leg and said hypotenuse leg, an internally threaded cylinder integrally secured to the upper ends of the upright and hypotenuse legs, a pressure screw threadedly received in said cylinder and having a pivotally mounted pressure cap on the end adjacent the upright leg and turning means on the other end, a horizontally slotted forward plate mounted for axial rotation on the lower end of the vertical leg and formed with an open-ended slot adapted to receive and engage opposite faces of a flange, a horizontally slotted rearward plate pivotally mounted on the lower end of said hypotenuse leg for axial rotation on an axis parallel to that of said upright leg, and means including horizontal shaft means having its ends supported by the lower end of the hypotenuse leg pivotally supporting the said rearward slotted plate for swinging movement about an axis at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the rearward slotted plate.

3. A structural tool comprising a right triangular framework having an upright leg, a hypotenuse leg, a connecting leg extending transversely between the lower end portions of said upright leg and said hypotenuse leg, an internally threaded cylinder integrally secured to the upper ends of the upright and hypotenuse legs, a pressure screw threadedly received in said threaded cylinder and having a pivotally mounted pressure cap on the end adjacent the upright leg, and turning means on the other end, a horizontal forward plate mounted for axial rotation on the lower end of the vertical leg and formed with an openended slot adapted to receive and engage opposite sides of a ilange, a horizontal rearward plate mounted for axial rotation on the lower end of said hypotenuse leg and formed with an open-ended slot adapted to receive and engage opposite faces of said ange, and means including a horizontal shaft having its ends supported by the lower end of the hypotenuse leg carrying the said rearward slotted plate.

4. A structural tool comprising a substantially coplanar triangular framework having an upright leg portion, a horizontal base portion, and a member rigidly joining the upright leg portion to said horizontal base portion, a pressure applying means rigidly mounted at the juncture of the adjacent upper ends of the upright leg portion and the member joining the upright leg portion to the base portion, a forward plate formed with an openended slot pivotally mounted coaxially on the lower end of the upright leg portion, a rearward plate formed with an open-ended slot pivotally monnted on the lower end of the said joining member, means including horizontal shaft means supported for swinging movement about an axis at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the rearward plate, and progressively operable pushing means mounted on the apex portion of the triangular framework and arranged to act in a direction paralleling the plane of the slots of the pivotally mounted plates.

5. A tool for plumbing web frame members, said tool comprising a right triangular frame member, a securing plate mounted for axial rotation on the lower end of the upright leg portion of the right triangular frame member, another securing plate mounted for axial rotation on the lower end of the hypotenuse leg portion of the right triangular frame member, said securing plates each having an open-ended slot longitudinally alignable with the slot of the other for receiving spaced portions of the same flange, and progressively advanceable pushing means mounted on the apex portion of the right triangular frame member in a direction paralleling the slots of the pivotally mounted plates, axes means connected between the lower end of the sloping leg portion and the slotted plate pivoted thereon for accommodating movement of said last-mentioned securing plate about perpendicularly intersecting axes.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 153,206 Van Wagoner July 21, 1874 226,617 Konig Apr. 20, 1880 2,868,250 Holmboe Jan. 13, 1959 

